NORTH BEND — The Olympic Avalanche premier girls basketball team of the North Olympic Peninsula captured second place at the Seattle Cherry Pick Tournament.
This was the Avalanche’s first game against fourth-grade competition.
Sponsored by the Seattle Youth Basketball league, most of the teams in the tourney were from the Seattle-Tacoma area.
All of the teams Avalanche played against have been together since last fall.
“For us to have competed the way we did was nothing short of impressive considering we’ve officially been a team for a month,” Avalanche coach Joe Marvelle said.
“The girls played extremely well.”
Avalanche eventually lost 43-23 in the championship game to Emerald City Basketball Academy Swish, which is the top fourth grade team in the Seattle-Tacoma area and features a 10-year-old girl who is 5-foot-11.
Avalanche opened the tourney by defeating Puyallup Dreamcatchers 41-22.
Avalanche top scorers were Myra Walker, Ruth Moss and Courtney Swan, all with 10 each. Millie Long added seven.
In the semifinals, Avalanche beat Seattle Rotary Lady Style 53-8 in a completely dominating performance.
Moss led with 16 points, followed by Swan with 12 and Long with 10.
Long led Avalanche with 11 points against Emerald City in the championship game.
Avalanche is looking for at least one more player from the North Olympic Peninsula for its 2013-2014 team.
“We’re looking for an incoming fifth-grade girl from Clallam or Jefferson county,” Marvelle said.
Anyone interested should contact Marvelle at 360-460-4746 or at Facebook, www.facebook.com/avalancheaau.
Team members include Ruth Moss, Laila Greene and Courntey Swan of Neah Bay, Kalli Wiker of Sequim, and Myra Walker, Millie Long, Hannah Reetz and Camille Stensgard of Port Angeles.